SEC. 67.24. PUBLIC INFORMATION THAT MUST BE DISCLOSED.

§ 67.24

ComplexControversial
In plain language

This section establishes San Francisco's rules for what public information city departments must disclose, creating broader access rights than state law allows by limiting exemptions for drafts, litigation materials, personnel data, law enforcement records, contracts, and financial information.

The City must release most documents the public requests, with only specific exceptions. For example, draft agreements must be shown to the public at least 10 days before approval (unless keeping them secret would cause serious harm). Once lawsuits are settled, the City must release communications with the other side. Employee information like salaries, job descriptions, and confirmed misconduct records must be made public. When the City hires contractors or makes big deals, bid scores and evaluation forms become public immediately after the decision is made. The City cannot use vague reasons like "it's still being discussed" or "the public doesn't need to know" to keep documents hidden—only specific reasons listed in this rule allow withholding.

  • Complex:The section is lengthy with multiple subsections and cross-references to state law that may require readers to understand California Public Records Act provisions to fully grasp the local rules being imposed.
  • Controversial:Public records disclosure authority is frequently contested in San Francisco; this section significantly restricts departments' ability to withhold information, which some may view as promoting transparency while others may raise concerns about sensitive negotiations or personnel matters.

AI-generated · claude-haiku-4-5 · informational only, not legal advice.

Official text

(Added by Ord. 265-93, App. 8/18/93; amended by Ord. 292-95, App. 9/8/95; Ord. 240-98, App. 7/17/98; Proposition G, 11/2/99)

View official source